While many infant carrier provide a sun visor which can be pulled to partially cover the infant""s face, the repeated changes of direction of the automobile will often prevent the visor from being effective for this purpose. Thus, there is a need for a cover which will shield an infant from the glare of the sun while traveling in a car. Additionally, such a visor should be able to be used with the carrier or a portable bed when the carrier is removed from the automobile.
Yet another problem common with automobiles is the existence of flies and other insects which may enter the automobile if a window is left open. Flies or other insects can often carry diseases which can harm the infant. Most covers which are commonly available on the market, however, provide no protection to the infant from such insects. Additionally, other insects such as wasps and bees may sting an infant and may cause serious health problems if the child allergic to bee stings or wasp stings.
Still another concern with infant carriers is that the child is not protected from the wind or precipitation if he or she is removed the car. While within a car, an infant will generally not be tightly bundled in a blanket or have a coat on due to the concerns of the child overheating. However, as soon as the vehicle stops and the door is open, the child is subject to cold weather, rain, snow, etc. Thus, it is desirable to have a cover for an infant carrier which will protect the child from the elements without the need for dressing and undressing the child every time the child is moved into and out of the vehicle.
Still another concern for parents of young children is unwanted touching. Often strangers or friends will approach an infant and play with the infants hands or face. While the strangers, etc., are generally well meaning, any germs on their hands will be communicated to the child. When the child places his hands in his mouth, the germs will be ingested. A well meaning stranger or friend can readily communicate a cold, the flu, or other infections to the child. Thus, it is desirable to provide a cover which inhibits the ability of others to touch the infant without the express consent of the parent.
Still yet another concern which is common for parents of infants while riding in a car seat is that the infant may easily become bored and begin to cry. Numerous accidents have been caused by a driver attempting to look at or touch an infant to calm them when agitated. While infants can often be entertained with various toys, an uncovered infant carrier allows the toy to fall or be thrown from the carrier. To return the toy to the carrier, the driver must usually take his or her eyes off the road, thereby increasing the likelihood of an accident.
The ability to entertain a child is particularly important when the infant carrier is covered with netting or some other type of cover. Because the visibility of the infant is limited by the cover, there must be adequate visual stimulation to keep the child""s attention for a prolonged period of time.
Thus, it is desirable that a cover for infant carriers and the like be provided with a row of toys or entertainment that are positioned in front of the child and which will not accidently be removed from the carrier while driving.
Numerous attempts have been made to protect infants from the sun and to otherwise provide entertainment to the child. One common device for shielding children from sun is a small round sun screen which sticks to a window. However, each screen only blocks the sun from one direction. When the vehicle changes direction, the sun""s direct rays come through the window from a different location or from a different window altogether. Not only does the sun screen not work at keeping the sun out of the infant""s eyes, it obstructs the driver""s view somewhat and has to be removed altogether at night.
While using a blanket draped over the sun visor canopy in front of the infant""s face works great at keeping the sun out of the infants""s eyes, the driver must keep an eye on the blanket to make sure it does not slide down on to the infant""s face and smother him.
One invention exists which claims to protect an infant from weather and insects while seated in any type of infant carrier. U.S. Pat. No. 5,730,490 was designed to utilize the handle of the infant carrier to support the carrier cover and form a tent over the carrier. The main disadvantage to this type of cover is that it cannot be used in a moving vehicle as the manufacturers of infant carriers suggest the handle be locked in place in the horizontal position behind the carrier. Therefore, it provides limited protection from the sun or insects while in a moving vehicle. It also does not provide a means for keeping the attention of a child. Young infants may not grasp a toy or have the ability to search for a toy that has fallen on his lap. Once the toy is dropped, he is no longer able to entertain himself with the toy.
Other inventions exist which protect an infant from the sun while the infant is seated in an infant carrier. U.S. Pat. No. 5,522,639 incorporates the use of dual sun shade devices which attach to the U-shaped handle. U.S. Pat. No. 4,997,231 also requires the use of the U-shaped handle for attachment of the sun visor and only covers half of the carrier allowing incomplete sun protection. Neither of the above referenced inventions can be utilized in a moving vehicle for the same reason noted above for U.S. Pat. No. 5,730,490.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,007,674 does not require the use of the U-shaped carrier handle and could thus be used in a moving vehicle. However, its use appears to be dependent upon fasteners which must be attached to the carrier cover by the consumer. It is also a single function device. It does not protect against precipitation, wind or insects. It also does not entertain the infant.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,411,315 incorporates a toy bar for entertaining purposes, but it is an entirely different type of infant seat. It is not a car seat. While it could be used out of doors, it provides little protection against insects, sun, wind or precipitation.
In short, there is a need for a car seat cover which protects a seated infant from sun, wind, precipitation and insects both inside and out of a moving vehicle, and which enables ready entertainment of the infant.
Thus, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved cover for an infant carrier and the like.
It is another object of the present invention to provide such a cover which protects and infant from sun, insects and weather conditions.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a cover which can be used while a vehicle is in motion and which does not interfere with proper mounting of a child carrier to its base.
It is still yet another object of the present invention to provide such a cover which provides for entertainment of a child while the child is disposed beneath the cover.
The above and other objects of the present invention are achieved by an all weather protective infant carrier cover/activity center formed by an inner cover and an outer cover and a support bar disposed within the cover independent of the handle of the carrier to maintain the form of the cover without interfering with use of the handle for carrying or for locking the carrier into its base for use in a moving car.
By providing a inner cover and an outer cover, the invention protects a infant in several ways. It provides protection from insects, sun, wind and precipitation; and discourages unwanted touching of the infant by strangers, thus preventing the transmission of germs by touch to the infant who does not have a fully developed immune system.
The construction of the cover, also facilitates the formation of an entertainment/activity area immediately in front of the infant to provide entertainment for the infant both inside and out of a moving vehicle.
The cover is preferably composed of washable, breathable textile materials. Preferably, the inner cover is formed of mesh netting, while the outer cover is preferably a water resistant/repellant textile material. (While non water-resistant/repellant textile material could be used. Protections from precipitation cannot be achieved without a water resistant material.) The perimeter of the cover has elastic edging which enables it to fit many brands of carriers.
The center of the cover has a wrap-around fastening structure which adjusts to fit the sun visor canopy U-shaped support member which is included on many brands of carriers. While the U-shaped support member is traditionally used for holding a sun visor, the present invention uses the same device to hold the over away from the child. This is highly advantageous because it does not require modification of the carrier to add a support member and does not interfere with the use of the handle for either carrying the carrier or locking the carrier into a base unit when used in an automobile.
The outer cover forms a built-in sun visor flap on one side composed of washable breathable textile fabric (preferably water resistant). Beneath the flap is the inner cover formed by a washable mesh, netting or other appropriate material which is both see through and allows air to flow through. When lowered, the flap of the outer cover provides protection from sunlight. When raised, air can flow through to cool the infant if desired, and the infant can be easily viewed.
The side of the outer cover opposite the built-in sun visor has a built-in weather flap composed of the same textile fabric as the sun visor flap. When in the down position, the weather flap protects the infant from sun, wind and precipitation. (The down position is only recommended for short periods of time, i.e., going between a vehicle and inside a building in inclement weather. The reason for this precaution is that air flow is limited to the air that circulates under the draped edges of the textile fabric. The weather flap was designed to drape over the carrier to allow some air flow, unlike the sun visor flap which is fitted to the carrier.)
When the weather flap is rolled up to the top of the carrier, a mesh-type material is exposed (just like that under the sun visor flap) allowing optimal air flow to the seated infant. The weather flap can also be raised just half-way up providing adequate sun protection to the infant seated in the infant carrier in the back seat of a vehicle while allowing adequate air flow to prevent the infant from becoming to warm on a sunny day. The weather flap can also be pulled back over the built-in sun visor flap to provide additional ventilation on very hot days.
In one embodiment of the invention, in the rolled up position, the weather flap can be fixed in place with the two straps which are attached to the top of the cover, at the juncture of the two sides, over the sun visor canopy U-shaped support mechanism. Thus, the weather flap can be held out of the way without the risk that the weather flap will be lost or damaged.
The mesh under the weather flap side serves several functions. Counter tension is needed to keep the center plastic visor support mechanism (part of the infant carrier) in place. The mesh provides this tension while allowing air to circulate. The mesh also keeps insects from disturbing the infant. And, because the infant is totally enclosed in his/her own little protective shell, he/she is not easily accessible to touching by strangers or other well meaning people. Thus, people (and animals) can easily xe2x80x9clook but not touch.xe2x80x9d
Both sides of the carrier have a flexible support structure made of plastic tubing or other appropriate material which arches over the seated infant so the cover does not sit directly on the infant. These plastic support pieces can be removed for machine washing of the cover and reinstalled.
At the juncture of the two sides are a plurality of straps which hang down under the sun visor canopy U-shaped support member and over the seated infant. The plurality of straps can be used to hang toys which are held a short distance from the infant""s face. The straps have a velcro, snap or other appropriate closure device and are adjustable to various lengths to accommodate the infant as he grows. Small toys which have a loop-type structure or hole through which the above reference straps can be threaded can be hung above the seated infant. Because the toys are not a permanent fixture, they are detachable and can be interchanged as age appropriate for the intellectual development of the infant. Or, the infant""s own toys can be attached if they have a loop-type structure/hole. Unlike simply handing the infant a toy which may get thrown, dropped or otherwise lost, the straps hold the toys in a position where they can be played with but not readily removed by the infant.
Because the cover supports are flexible, elbow carrying of the infant carrier is possible without the interference which comes from using a cover which is supported by the handle as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,730,490. Additionally, because the support for the cover is independent of the handle, the cover can be used without interfering with the handle serving as a locking mechanism as is common with many types of infant car seats, etc.